Combination step-ladder.



Patented Jan. 9, |900. W. L. SKELLEY.

CDMBINATION STEP LADDER. (Applx'cation'led Oct. 4, 189g.) (No Model.)

A TTOH/VEY rvrrnn WALTER L. SK'ELLEY, OF OABOOL, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OFONE-HALF TO CARL E. GRANT, OF SAME PLACE.

COMBlNATION STER-LADDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 641,158, dated January9, 1900.

Application filed October 4,1899. Serial No. 732,487. (No model.) I

. To all whom t may concern:

Beit known that l, WALTER L. SKELLEY, of Oabool, in the county of Texasand State of Missouri, have invented a new and Improved CombinationStep-Ladder, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

The object of my invention is to provide a combination long and a stepladder, the sides of which when used as a long or extended ladderconstitute each a truss and the hinges central struts for the same,rendering the eX- tended ladder exceedingly staunch and permitting theladder to be made very light.

Another object of the invention is to provide a means whereby theplatform of a stepladder and the parts connected therewith may beutilized to securely lock and brace the sections of the ladder when saidsections are brought end to end to form a continuous or long ladder.

A further object of the invention is to so construct the ladder that itmay be quickly and conveniently converted from one form to the other,and whereby the ladder in -both of these forms will be not only light,but durable, thoroughly braced, and capable of ready manipulation.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination oftheseveral parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth ,and pointedout in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis speciication, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the iigures.

Figure l is a perspective view of the improved ladder utilized as astep-ladder. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section throughtheimproved ladder when the members of the ladder are brought togetherand secured to form an upright or long ladder, the View being drawn on alarger scale than the viewshown in Fig. l and the section being takenpractically on the line 2 2 of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is an under side view ofthe central portion of the extended or long ladder; and Fig i is alongitudinal section through the platform of the ladder and the membersto which the platform is attached, the members being folded together. i

As usual in step-ladders theladder consists of two supporting-sections Aand B, a platform O, connected with said members constitu ting the upperportion of the step-ladder, and hinges D, whereby the sections orinembers of the ladder are connected. Each side 10 of each section ormember A andB of the ladder constitutes a portion of a truss, the saidsides 10 being cut centrally and longitudinally from their hinged orabutting ends to a point at or near their opposing or outer ends, andthe parts formed thereby constitute an upper or outer rail 10 and aninner or lower rail 10b, the outer or upper rails being longer than theinner or lower rails, and when the members A and B of the ladder arebroughtin longitudinal alinement at the front the outer or upper railsl0n meet at their inner ends, or practically so, to forni a continuousor long upright ladder when such form of ladder is required. The railsof the sides of the said supporting sections A and B are braced betweentheir ends by pins 1l, which maybe of wood or other material, and. thesepins 1l constitute strutsfor the truss portions of the ladder.

The sections A and B of the ladder are conneeted by hinges D. Each hingecomprises two parts l2 and 13, each part being of angular construction.The body member a of each section of the hinge is usually somewhatcurved, as shown in Fig. 2, and the upper ends or those ends which areadapted for attachment to the sections A and B of the ladderare at oneside ot' a line drawn longitudinally through the center of thebody-sections of the hinges, and the upper ends of said body-sections aof the hinges are made to engage with the inner faces of the upper orouter lrails l0PL of the sections Aand B of theladder at the inner endsof said rails, the connection being effected through the medium of boltsor rivets 14 or their equivalents. portion of one section of a hinge iscarried over upon the corresponding portion ot' the other section, andthe body portions of the two sections of a hinge are pivotally connectedby pins 15 or like devices, as is illustrated in Fig. 2. The footportion b of each section of a hinge is adapted to engage with a Thebody IOO lower or inner rail b, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4. Thesefoot portions of the sections of the hinges are provided with tongues16, adapted to Iit into er enter recesses made in the said rails 10b.These tongues serve to strengthen the rails 10", and the foot portionsstruts for each side truss.

of the said hinge-sections may be secured rigidly to the said rails 10bby rivets or their equivalents.

It may be here observed that the inner rails 10b of the section B of theladder are drawn together at their inner ends to such an extent thatthey will be Within the longitudinal plane of the corresponding rails ofthe section A, as shown in Fig. 3. Consequently the foot portion of asection of each hinge is attached to the outer face of the contractedrails 10", while the foot portions of the other sections of the hingesare secured to the inner faces of the rails 10b of the opposing sectionof the ladder. Under this construction it is obviousthat the contractedrails 10" may be carried within the wider-spaced rails of the opposingsection of the ladder when the two sections A and B are broughtlongitudinally together, as illustrated in Fig. 4.

The section A of the ladder, which is the front section when the ladderis used as a step-ladder, is provided with the usual steps 17, while theopposin g or rear section B of the ladder is provided with correspondingrungs 18, as illustrated in Fig. 1. The platform C for the ladder whenused as a step-ladder is provided with transverse iianges 19 near itsends. These iian ges are secured to the under face of the platform C andare preferably inwardly curved, as shown in Fig. 3, in order to permitfree play of the hinges D. One end of each flange 19 attached to theplatform C is pivotally connected at 2O in any suitable or approvedmanner with the upper inner portion of the section B of the ladder, theattachment being preferably made to the upper or outer rails 10a, whilethe opposite end of each platform-flange 19 is connected with `thecorresponding rail of the section A of the ladder by means of links 21,as best shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4. Thus in operation when the ladder isset up as a step-ladder the platform C is horizontal, and said platformwill not be in engagement with the upper ends of the sections A and B ofthe ladder, as shown in Fig. 1, and the sections A and B of the laddermay be carried as far apart or as close together as occasion may demand.

When a long ladder is required, the two sections A and B are brought endto end or in longitudinal alinement, the inner ends of the rails 10n atthat time being brought together, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. Whenthe sections of the ladder are in this position, it is evident that eachside of the ladder forms a complete truss and that the body portions ofthe hinges D constitute central The sections A and B of the ladder aresecurely locked in the extended position by causing the platform to dropdown upon the upper edges of the two sections, the flanges of theplatform being then between the outer or upper rails 10a, and when theplatform is in this position, which is shown particularly in Fig. 2, thelinks 21 where they connect with the iianges on the platform will bebelow the center of their pivotal connections with the section Aof theladder. Under such construction it is obvious a lengthy upright laddermay be quickly provided and that the ladder under this arrangement ofits parts will be exceptionally light and very strong, and may betherefore readily manipulated and conveniently carried from place toplace. The sections of the ladder may be folded so as to produce anordinary step-ladder by simply carrying the platform C out slightly fromthe outer faces of the sections A and B and then breaking the sectionsat their hinged connection. When the members A and B of the ladder arefolded longitudinally in engagement with each other, as shown in Fig. 4,the platform is supported by the body portions of the hinges D.

It will be noted that the two sections A and B of the ladder arepractically of the same length. Thus when the sections are brought endto end a very long light ladder is obtained. It will also be noticedthat when the sections of the ladder are brought end to end the pivotsof the hinges are a considerable distance below the platform, which atthis time serves as a lock, and, as stated, when the sections of theladder are folded longitudinally toget-her the hinges extendconsiderably above the upper edges of said sections.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. A ladder comprising hinged sections, a platformhaving pivotal connection with one of the sections, and a linkconnection between said platform and the other section whereby theplatform serves as a locking device when the sections are alined,substantially as speciiied.

2. A foldingladder having truss sides, and hinges for the sections ofthe ladder, which hinges in one position of the sections consti-v tutestruts for the truss sides.

3. A folding ladder having truss sides and hinges for the sections,constituting central struts for the ladder.

4. A folding ladder, a hinged connection between the sections of theladder, and a platform having pivotal engagement with the sections ofthe ladder, the platform being supported on said hinges when thesections of the ladder are brought in longitudinal contact.

5. In a folding ladder, the combination, with the sections of theladder, of hinges constructed in angular pivotally-connected members,the said members being attached to the abutting ends of the saidsections of the ladder, and a platform above said abutting ends,

Ifo

having direct pivotal engagement with one of the sections and a linkconnection with the opposing section of the ladder, as set forth.

6. In a folding ladder, the combination, With the sections of theladder, of hinges constructed in angular pivotally-connected members,the said members being attached to the abutting ends of the saidsections of a ladder,

and a platform above the abutting ends of 7. In a folding ladder, hingesconsisting of angular members pivotally connected andarranged to moveone upon the other, one section of each hinge member being attachedtransversely to a side of a section of the ladder at the abutting endsof said sections, the other section of each hinge member extendinglongitudinally along a side of a 1addersection,and provided withstrengthening projections for the ladder-sections, as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed 'my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

l WALTER L. SKELLEY.

Witnesses:

L. HAZZARD, R. MCGAULEY.

